The Minority in Parliament has urged former government officials to reject any invitations from the "Operation Recover All Loot" (ORAL) team, describing its operations as unconstitutional and redundant.

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At a press briefing on Wednesday, January 15, Suame MP John Darko insisted that the team’s activities undermine Ghana’s legal framework, as they duplicate the functions of established investigative bodies such as the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), and the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

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“Our advice to outgone government officials is clear: boycott any invitation from this so-called ORAL team. We refuse to participate in or recognise its activities because constitutionally established institutions already exist to investigate any alleged misdeeds,” Mr. Darko stated. He criticized the Attorney General nominee, Dr.

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Dominic Ayine, for endorsing ORAL, arguing that such support disrespects the authority of the existing constitutionally mandated agencies. The Minority further accused ORAL of excessive force, alleging that the team disrupts the lives of innocent citizens. “They are going about disturbing people, entering homes, seizing vehicles, and confiscating lands from individuals who have lawfully acquired them.

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This is nothing short of harassment, and it must stop,” Mr. Darko added. However, Attorney General and Justice Minister-designate Dr. Dominic Ayine has defended ORAL’s legitimacy. During his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 13, he described the initiative as essential for holding people accountable and recovering state assets acquired unlawfully. Dr.

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Ayine explained that while ORAL is not a conventional legal entity, its mandate aligns with the principles outlined in the preamble of the 1992 Constitution, which emphasizes accountability. “If you look at the preamble to our Constitution, it is very clear about the fundamental values underpinning it. The value of accountability is one of the principles articulated in the preamble,” he noted.

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Established on December 18, 2024, by President John Dramani Mahama, ORAL is chaired by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and consists of five members tasked with recovering state properties unlawfully acquired, particularly during previous administrations.

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